Automatic scavenger for paper yarn machine



Dec. 22, 1964 w. J. HOGG ETAL 3,162,004

AUTOMATIC SCAVENGER FOR PAPER YARN MACHINE Filed May 17, 1963 Q 3Sheets-Sheet 1 50A ve/vs 5e Dev/c:

INVENTORS WILL/AM d. H066 50m 0/: 7'65 Dec. 22, 1964 w. J. HOGG ETAL3,162,004

AUTOMATIC SCAVENGER FOR PAPER YARN MACHINE Filed May 17, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet 2 72 4M Chm m a:

6 M545 SI /p94 LED SAM/ 7- i 4. INVENTORS Mum v /-/066 50m Car s Dec.22, 1964 w. J. HOGG ETAL 3,162,004

AUTOMATIC SCAVENGER FOR PAPER YARN MACHINE Filed May 17, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet $5 lll l \hB INVENTORS MLL/IIM d. H066 BY 5am C4766 UnitedStates Patent O rarnn This invention relates generally to machines formanufacturing paper yarn by slitting a paper web into ribbons which arethen individually twisted to form yarn, and more particularly to anautomatic scavenger for picking up the loose ends of ribbons resultingfrom breakage thereof in the cutting unit of the machine.

In manufacturing paper yarn, the conventional practice is to convey abroad web of paper into a cutting mechanism which slits the web intoindividual ribbons, the ribbons then being led by a spreader into amultiple spindle twister section where each ribbon is twisted into yarn.

In one known high speed machine for making paper yarn, the solepropulsive force for moving the paper through the processing cycle isprovided by the spindles on which the twisted yarns are wound. Thespindles exert a pulling force on the ribbons which acts to draw thepaper web from the roll through the cutting section. Since the tensilestrength of paper is not great, there is a tendency for the ribbons tobreak. Heretofore, when a break oc curred, it was necessary to shut downthe machine to repair the break, with a resultant loss in productiontime.

One major improvement in the manufacture of paper yarn is disclosed inthe copending application of Sain and Hogg, Serial No. 216,601, filedAugust 13, 1962, now Patent No. 3,111,000 which issued November 19,1963, wherein the machine is constituted by a cutter section having apropulsion roll for pulling a paper web from a roll thereof, the webbeing split into ribbons which are then directed into a twister section,and wherein the surface speed of the propulsion roll is synchronizedwith the feed rolls in the twister section to prevent tensioning of theribbons which might result in their rupture. In this arnangement, theribbons are pre-wet after being slit and they are again moistened beforeentering the twisters. Such pie-wetting acts to condition the paperfibers so as to improve their toughness and further reduce breakage.

Despite the improvement resulting from the arrangement disclosed in saidcopending application, ribbon breakage is still encountered. The looseribbon ends have a tendency to whip about and to become entangled withthe other ribbons, causing further breaks and further complicatingrepair. It becomes necessary therefore, when a break occurs, to shutdown the machine as quickly as possible and to make the necessarysplices in the ribbons. Such breaks are costly and time-consuming, forthe machine remains unproductive while the breaks are being repaired.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the invention to provide ascavenger which acts to pick up the loose ends or" a broken ribbon in apaper yarn machine and to thereby prevent its entanglement with theother ribbons.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide anautomatic scavenger which repeatedly scans an area below a driven rollin the cutter section over which the nibbons are conveyed into thetwister section of the machine, the scavenger acting to pick up a looseend of a ribbon falling below the roll and to maintain the loose endclear of the mechanism and of the other ribbons.

A significant feature of the invention is that the scavenger makes itpossible to correct the break in the ribbon without shutting down themachine, thereby avoiding losses in production time.

Also an object of the invention is to provide a scavenger BdfilfidPatented Dec. 22, 1964 of the above-mentioned type which is of simpleand efficient design and which is reliable in operation.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objectsand further features thereof, reference is made to the followingdetailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein like elements in the various views are identified bylike reference numerals. In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially schematic, showing the cutter sectionand a twister section in a yarn making machine including a scavengerdevice in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the cutter section shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is aback view of the cutter section shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4- is .a side view of the scavenger device and top roll drive inthe cutter unit;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the device shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a back view of the device shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 schematicaliy shows how the scavenger functions to prevententanglement of a loose ribbon.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and3, there is shown in simplified form a yarn manufacturing machine madeup of two main sections, namely a cutter section, generally designatedby letters CS, and a twister section TS.

Cutter section CS includes a roll of paper 10 supported on a shaft 11and held in position thereon by suitable arbors. The broad web of drypaper 10, drawn from the roll thereof, is guided upwardly by a firstidler roll 12 over a propulsion roll 13, and down to a second idler roll1 from which point it is conveyed horizontally toward a third idler roll15, and from there upwardly to a fourth idler roll 1d. From idler roll16 the web it? passes into a cutter assembly formed by a driven roll 17having annular blades thereon which engage a platen roll 18 to slit theweb into a multiplicity of narrow ribbons 10a, 10b, 100, etc.

The ribbons are guided under a fifth idler roll 19 and upwardly to ahigher level where they pass over driven top rolls 20 and 21 positionedabove the propulsion roll 13. From the top rolls the ribbons enter asuitable separator 22 having raking fins which spread the ribbons apartbefore entering the twister section TS.

The twister section may be of the type disclosed in the above-notedcopending application, or of any known form, and it includes a bank ofspindle spools 23 above which are rotatably supported feed rolls 24.Each ribbon at the feed roll is twisted and wound about the associatedspool which is placed over and driven by the twister spindie. Thevarious spindles are concurrently driven, but conventional clutch orequivalent means (not shown) are provided to disengage any spindle fromthe drive mechanism therefor and thereby to halt the rotation of thespool thereon in the event of a ribbon break.

The problem to which the present invention is addressed, is that arisingfrom rupture of any one of the ribbons 10a, etc. Such breaks occurgenerally in the twister section where the ribbon is subjected totensioning stresses. Hence when a break occurs, the associated spoolwinds up one end of the ribbon, the other end lying loose over the toproll 21 in the cutter section.

To prevent the loose end, which is still being fed from the cuttersection, from whipping about and becoming entangled with adjacentunbroken ribbons or becoming enmeshed in the rolls, there is provided ascavenger device, generally designated by letters SD, which acts to pickup the loose end and to keep it clear of the other ribbons until theoperator is able to repair the break.

The structure of the scavenger SD is shown in FIGS. 4,

and 6, where it will be seen that propulsion roll 13, which serves todraw the web from the paper roll, is provided at one end with a sprocketwheel 25 adapted to drive the top rolls 2t and 21 through a suitablesprocket chain 26. Top roll 20 is provided with a sprocket wheel 27 andtop roll 21 with a sprocket wheel 28, the chain 26 engaging these wheelsas well as an idler sprocket wheel 29 which permits a greater contactlength of the chain on sprocket wheel 25.

Rotatably mounted below top roll 21 and to one side thereof in parallelrelation therewith, is a shaft 30 having a double spiralled track 36a.Shaft 30 is driven at a relatively high speed by a belt 31, the beltencircling a pulley 32 on shaft 30 and a pulley 33 on top roll 21. Thebelt permits slippage in the event jamming of the spiral mechanismoccurs. 7

The track of the double spiralled shaft 31) is operatively engaged bythe follower arm 34a of a traveller carriage 34 which, as the shaftrotates is caused to traverse the shaft with -a back-and-forth motionand in efiect, acts to scan the area below the drive roll 21.. A guidebar 35 fixedly supported adjacent the double spiralled shaft 38 passesthrough a bore on the follower arm 34a and thereby prevents turning ofthe reciprocating traveller carriage 34.

Vertically mounted on the carriage 34 is a Venturi tube 36 provided witha Venturi nozzle 37 to which a flexible air tube is connected. Theflexible tube is connected to an air pump (not shown) such that when airis blown through the Venturi nozzle 37, a vacuum is induced in theVenturi tube 36. The resultant suction causes a loose ribbon end fallingbelow top roll 21 to be drawn into the Venturi tube.

Since the traveller carriage scans reciprocably across the top roll, anyloose ribbon end along the row of ribbons passing over the roll ispicked up by the Venturi tube and held therein as the broken ribboncontinues to feed therethrough. A scraping bar 33 having separating orstabilizing pins 3% is mounted against the top roll 21 and acts toprevent the loose ribbon from winding about'tbe roll. All of the rollsdescribed above are supported in suitable bearings mounted on the frameof the machine.

Thus when a ribbon break occurs during machine operation, the scanningscavenger picks up the loose end in the cutter section, the other endbeing wound up on the associated spindle spool. It is not necessary toshut down the machine to repair the break, for all that need be done isto halt the associated spindle, all other spindles remaining active. Theoperator merely pulls the loose end from the scavenger and splices itonto the associated spindle, which is then returned to normal operation.

It will be appreciated that the scavenger disclosed herein may be usedwith any existing type of paper yarn manufacturing apparatus in which aweb is slit into ribbons, and in which the ribbons are then twisted. Tofacilitate the repair of breaks, one may provide optical, mechanical orelectrical sensors with each of the ribbons feeding into the twistersection, so that the momenta break occurs, a suitable light or soundindication thereof is provided, giving its location. It is also possiblein conjunction with such indications by means of an electromagneticdevice operated by the activated sensor to automatically shut off theassociated spindle, whereby the operator need only form a quick spliceand then return the spindle to operation.

While there has been shown a preferred embodiment of automatic scavengerfor paper yarn machines, in accord ance with the invention, it will beappreciated that many changes and modifications may be made. thereinwithout, however, departing from the essential spirit of the inven tionas defined in the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for manufacturing paper yarn wherein a paper web isconveyed through a cutting mechanism and is slit into a row of ribbonswhich are then individually aieaoci twisted, said machine including aroll conveying said row of ribbons, a scavenger device for picking upbroken ends of said ribbons to facilitate repair thereof, said devicecom prising a reciprocating carriage repeatedly scanning an areaadjacent said roll below said row of ribbons, and a suction devicesupported on said carriage to pick up a loose ribbon end from any ribbonin said row.

2. In a machine for manufacturing paper yarn provided with a cuttingsection wherein a paper web is conveyed through a cutting mechanism toslit same into a row of ribbons and a twister section wherein said rowof ribbons are individually twisted and wound about spindle spools, saidmachine including a roll conveying said row of ribbons, a scavengerdevice for picking up broken ends of said ribbons to facilitate repairthereof, said device comprising a reciprocating carriage repeatedlyscanning an area adjacent said roll below said row of ribbons, and asuction device supported on said carriage to pick up a loose ribbon endfrom any ribbon in said row.

3. In a machine for manufacturing paper yarn provided with a cuttingsection wherein a paper web is conveyed through a cutting mechanism toslit same into a row of ribbons and a twister section wherein saidribbons are individually twisted and wound about spindle spools, saidmachine including a roll conveying said row of ribbons, a scavengerdevice for picking up broken ends of said ribbons to facilitate repairthereof, said device comprising a carriage, a rotating shaft operativelycoupled to said roll and having a double spiral track, a follower armextending from said carriage to engage said track whereby said carriagemoves back and forth and repeatedly scans an area adjacent said rollunder said row of ribbons, and a suction device supported on saidcarriage to pick up a loose ribbon end from any ribbon in said row.

4. In a machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said suction device isconstituted by an open tube having a venturi nozzle'attached theretocoupled to an air tube to induce a vacuum in the tube.

5. Apparatus for manufacturing paper yarn comprising a cutter sectionincluding means to support a paper roll, a cutter mechanism, apropulsion roll, a driven guide roll supported above said propulsionroll, a spreader, a means to convey a web from said paper roll throughsaid propulsion roll and said cutter mechanism to form a plurality ofribbons which are guided across said guide roll into said spreader toseparate said ribbons; a twister section including a like plurality ofspindles and feed rolls to convey the spread ribbons from said cuttersection into said spindles; and a scavenger including a suction tube,and means to effect reciprocable scanning of said tube in an area belowsaid guide roll under said plurality of ribbons to pick up the brokenend of a ribbon from said plurality thereof.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the operation of saidpropulsion roll and said feed rolls are synchronized and wherein saiddriven guide roll is operated from said propulsion roll.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means to effectreciprocable scanning is constituted by a double spiral trackoperatively coupled to said driven guide roll.

8. Apparatus for manufacturing paper yarn comprising a cutter sectionincluding means to support a paper roll, a cutter mechanism, apropulsion roll, a driven guide roll supported above said propulsionroll, a spreader, a means to convey a; web from said paper roll throughsaid propulsion roll and said cutter mechanism to form a plurality ofribbons which are guided across said guide roll into said spreader toseparate said ribbons; a twister section including a like plurality ofspindles and feed rolls to convey said spread ribbons from said cuttersection into said spindles; and a scavenger including a suction tube,and a double spiral shaft operatively couplml to said driven roll toeffect reoiprocable scanning of said tube in an area below said guideroll under said plurality of ribbons to pick up the broken end of aribbon from said plurality thereof.

10. Apparatus for manufacturing paper yarn comprising a cutter sectionincluding means to support a paper roll, a cutter mechanism, apropulsion roll, a driven guide roll supported above said propulsionroll, a spreader, a means to convey a Web from said paper roll throughsaid propulsion roll and said cutter mechanism to form a plurality ofribbons which are guided across said guide roll into said spreader toseparate said ribbons; a twister sectllOD. including a like plurality ofspindles and feed rolls to convey said spread ribbons from said cuttersection into said spindles; and a scavenger including a carriage, asuction tube mounted on the carriage, and means coupled to said drivenroll to effect reciprooable scanning of said carriage in an area belowsaid guide roll under said plurality of ribbons to cause said tube topick up the broken end of a ribbon from said plurality thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS2,539,950 Gonsalves Jan. 30, 1951 2,672,723 Bechtler Mar. 23, 19542,676,352 Moore Apr. 27, 1954 3,012,393 Shuttleworth et al Dec. 12, 1961FOREIGN PATENTS 1,170,786 France Sept. 29, 1958 294,792 Germany Oct. 26,1916

1. IN A MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING PAPER YARN WHEREIN A PAPER WEB ISCONVEYED THROUGH A CUTTING MECHANISM AND IS SLIT INTO A ROW OF RIBBONSWHICH ARE THEN INDIVIDUALLY TWISTED, SAID MACHINE INCLUDING A ROLLCONVEYING SAID ROW OF RIBBONS, A SCAVENGER DEVICE FOR PICKING UP BROKENENDS OF SAID RIBBONS TO FACILITATE REPAIR THEREOF, SAID DEVICECOMPRISING A RECIPROCATING CARRIAGE REPEATEDLY SCANNING AN AREA ADJACENTSAID ROLL BELOW SAID ROW OF RIBBONS, AND A SUCTION DEVICE SUPPORTED ONSAID CARRIAGE TO PICK UP A LOOSE RIBBON END FROM ANY RIBBON IN SAID ROW.